Machine for knitting split fabric



June 12, 1928. 1,673,764

A. GAGNE MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1921 efl Imam/7702 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. GAGNE Filed June 28, 1921 MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC June 12, 1928.

June 12, 1928.

A. GAGNE MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 28, 1921 June 12, 1928. 1,673,764

A. GAGNE MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC Eiled June 28, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 17120621170 7 gH zusiz'ii @cggzw, 6y V June 12, 1928.

A. GAGNE MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 i y-l Filed June 28, 1921 i H N &

Invenifior flu guazk G June 12, 1928. 1,673,764

A. GAGN E MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC Filed June 28. 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 lave-71250:": a? m gflzwusiwx Ga 921e,

June 12, 1928.

A. GAGNE MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC Filed June 28, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 l 1 I l I II \M M U W m mm mm 17112267130 ding G ne.

June 12, 1928.

A. GAGNE MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC Filed June 28, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Invenior us 72in Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTIN GAGNE, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HEMPHILL COM- PANY, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR KNITTING SPLIT FABRIC.

Application filed June 28,

This invention relates to knitting machines for producing split fabric but more particularly to circular automatic knitting machines adapted to knit split foot hosiery and an object of the invention is to provide simple automatic mechanism capable of being operated at high speed with a minimum of strain and wear upon the needles and their knitting butts.

In order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood Ihave shown merely as an example an illustrated embodiment hereinafter fully set forth while the scope of the invention will be more particutd larly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a circular knitting machine embodying the invention; Fig. 1 is a transverse section on a reduced 2 scale taken through the needle cylinder just above the needle butts to show the relative length of the needle butts;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the knitting head of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a plan section taken on the line 4l i of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section through the central portion of the secondary knitting cams and through the latch ring showing the two sets of yarn guides and the yarn cutters mounted therebetween, the needle cylinder being shown in dotted lines;

Fig.6 is a detail side elevation of the cutt ers and yarn clamps for the primary and secondary threads, the cutters in this figure being shown closed;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the cutters and yarn clamps open;

Fig. 8 is an outside elevation of the secondary cam block, its supporting means, and correlated parts, the needle cylinder being shown. in dotted lines;

Fig. 9 is an inside elevation of the second- 4 ary cam set and associated parts;

Fig. 10 is a diagram of the various cams for actuating the needles, said cams occupying their proper posit-ions for circular knittin l i g. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 illustrating the various cams in positions preparatory to knitting either the heel or the toe pocket of a stocking;

Fig. 12 is also a diagram of the various 86 needle operating cams similar to Figs. 10

1921. Serial No. 481,144.

and 11, the cams in said figure being arranged for knitting the split fabric of the foot and with the cylinder moving in the forward direction;

F 1g. 13 is a diagram of said cams show mg the same in substantially the same positions as 1n Fig. 12 but with the cylinder mov ng in the reverse direction;

Fig. 14 1s a diagram on a greatly enlarged scale of two sections of fabric produced by the machine of this invention and wherein opposite adjacent edges of said two sections are united by interknitted loops of the respective sections; and

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a stocking foot illustrating a sample of the work adapted to be performed upon said machine.

The knitting machine herein employed as an exemplification of the invention, substantially embodies the characteristics of the type of machine known as the Banner machine and fully disclosed in the U. S. patent to Hemphill No. 933,443 patented September 7, 1909. This machine has the usual frame 1 within which is mounted a needle cyhnder 2 preferably, although not essentially revoluble, and a non-revoluble cam carrier 3 having an annular portion or ledge 1. Mounted in the main frame 1 is a main shaft 5 carrying suitable pulleys 6, 7 and 8 respectively employed as quick speed, slow speed and loose pulleys. A pattern shaft 9 is mounted in said frame and has thereon an appropriate pattern drum 10. Upon said pattern drum is a peripheral rib or cam 11 which engages with a follower 13 carried by a pivoted clutch shifting lever 1 1 connected with and for throwing the usual clutch from reciprocating to rotary driving instrumentalities and vice versa, said latter instrumentalities being well known features of said Hemphill patent and for further information concerning the same reference may be had thereto.

The follower 13 is arranged to travel through cross slots 12, 12 from one side of said rib 11 to the other so as to effect the shifting of said clutch member.

By means of the mechanism just described the needle cylinder 2 is adapted to be given at certain times in the knitting operation a continuous rotary movement as for example during the knitting of the leg of the stocking while at other times said cylinder is given a to and fro or reciprocating movement during the knitting of the heel and toe pocket of the stocking and in the present example this reciprocatin or to and fro movement is utilized to knit the split fabric of the foot and although the present embodiment of the invention has been described as having a revolving needle cylinder and stationary cams, obviously within the spirit and scope of the invention, the same is no limited to this construction.

The cam plate 3 has provision for a limited vertical movement, the same being mounted upon the usual cam slide mounted for vertical movement in said frame 1 and carrying at its lower portion cam followers 16, 17 and 18 adapted to engage ribs upon a cam 19 mounted upon and to turn with the pattern shaft 9, said cam being adapted to move said cam plate up or down to vary the length of the loops during the knitting of the leg and other portions of a stocking. A latch ring 20 is pivoted at oneside of the machine upon an upright post 21, and at an angle of approximately 90 from said post said latch ring engages and is supported by an upright post or standard 22, substantially as in said Hemphill patent.

The latch ring 20 is connected with the post 21 by a. pivot pin 23 and yieldingly engaging the under side of said latch ring is a spring actuated foot 24 mounted in said post 21 and adapted to exert a yielding upward action against said latch ring which, under normal conditions, is locked in its operative position against the standard 22 by a latch 25 which engages a pin 26 upon said latch ring.

The needles shown in the present embodiment are of the latch needle type and are arranged in a circular series of a number consistent with the diameter of the work to be performed upon a machine. These needles are divided into two substantially equal series, one series having what are known as long knitting butts while the other series has the usual short knitting butts, said long butt needles being so-called instep needles are adapted to be withdrawn, preferably elevated, at times in the operation of the machine by the usual instep cams 27 and 28 (see Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 10 to 13 inclusive). These cams are mounted upon a slide 29 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4) arranged to slide vertically in a standard 30 secured to the cam plate 3, appropriate movement being impart-ed to said slide by a bell crank lever 31 pivoted at 32 toa portion of the standard 30, one arm of said lever being connected with said slide 29 while the other arm is connectedat 33 with a link 34 extending to and having connection at 35 with the upper end of the clutch shifting lever 14, these connections being such that when said clutch lever is in the position for rotary knitting the cams 27 and 28 will be in their lowermost or depressed positions and when said lever 14 is in a position to effect to and fro or reciprocating knitting, said cams 27 and 28 will automatically be moved to the upper positions and thereby effect the withdrawal of theinstep or long butt needles whose butts are arranged to engage said cam 27 and be elevated thereby, said cam 27 being far enough from the face of the needle cylinder to engage only the long butts pernntting the short butts to pass without interference. The cam 28, however, is placed close up to the cylinder so as to engage either long or short butts which happen to be in their elevated positions when said cam 28 and the cam 27 are depressed.

Mounted upon the cam plate 3 with the instep cams is a cam block 36 (see particularly Figs. 3 and 4) arranged to slide laterally with respect to said needle cylinder between angle plates 37 disposed at opposite sides of said block and secured to the cam plate 3. A spring 38 is interposed between said cam block and a suitable fixed abutment 39 and constitutes means yieldingly to maintain said cam block in its operative position with respect to the needle cylinder. The cam block 36 herein constitutes the support for what are termed the primary knitting cams of the machine consisting of the usual stitch cams 40, 41 (see particularly Figs. 4 and 10 to 13 inclusive), 0. lower ccntral guide cam 42 and an upper central guide member 43. The inner faces of the cams 40, 41, 42 and 43 are concaved and lie normally in the plane coinciding with the outer face of the needle cylinder 2, said cams being withdrawn from this position only when it is desired to level the needles for transferring or when it is desired to withdraw said cams to get at the needles of the cylinder for the purpose of withdrawing or replacing needles. The usual means cmployed in the Banner machine for either manually or automatically retracting the cam block 36 for the purposes just described may be and herein are employed, said means consisting of a hand lever 44 pivoted at 45 to the standard 22, said lever being connected by a link 46 with the cam block 36. To automatically retract said cam block, the means herein shown consist of a link 47 extending from one arm of said lever 45 downwardly to and into engagement with a cam lever 48 arranged to cooperate with a suitable rib 49 upon the face of the attern drum 10. The withdrawing of said cam block 36 also serves to rock the latch 25 which has an end engaging the rear end of said cam block and disconnects said latch from the pin 26 permitting the latch ring to be moved upwardly by the spring foot 24 shown in Fig. 8.

The cam block 36 is also provided with a pair of narrowing pickers 50, .50 pivoted lUO upon said block in a manner characteristic of said Banner machine and arranged to operate in the usual manner. The latch ring 20 is also provided with the usual supply of yarn levers 51 herein five, hereinat'ter referred to as the primary yarn guides (see Figs. 2 and 5) said yarn levers being operated in the usual manner from the pattern drum 10. Also supported upon said latch ring is a supporting arm 52 for the usual yarn clamping and cutting devices 53 and 54 respectively for the primary yarns (see Figs. 52, 5, (Sand 7), said yarn clamp and cutter being operated by an operating lever 55 pivoted at 56 to said arm 52, said lever being operatively connected with the pattern shaft to operate automatically with the changing of the yarns.

The needle cylinder is provided with the usual web holder bed 57 surmounted by the web holder cam ring 58 of the usual Banner construction having lugs 59 to engage the latch ring 20 (see Fig. 8) so as to eti'ect relative movement between said cap ring and the sinker bed ring all of which parts, being operable in the usual manner, require no further description.

The parts hereinbefore described, as has been stated, are common to the Banner type of knitting machine and these parts are operated automatically from the pattern shaft 9 by pattern mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 60 (see Fig. 1).

An object of the invention, as hereinbetore stated, is to provide a machine for knitting split fabric and in carrying out this part of the invention in a very simple and cilicient manner, a secondary set of knitting 'ams has been provided which is indicated generally at 61 (see Figs. 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13). This set of knitting cams preferably includes a pair of stitch cams 62, 63, a lower guide cam 64 an upper guide cam 65 and a guard cam 66 for said upper guide cam. The inner faces of said several cams are concaved and are arranged normally to lie in a plane substantially coinciding with the plane of the outer face of the needle'cylindcr. which plane also coincides with the plane of the inner faces of the cams of said primary set.

Appropriate supporting instrumentalit-ies are provided for said secondary knitting cams to maintain said secondary knitting cams in substantially the same horizontal plane as are the primary knitting cams whereupon certain needles including those with long knitting butts will be actuated during the knitting of certain parts of the stocking or at substantially the same time that other needles including the regular short butt needles are acted upon as hereinafter more fully setforth.

It is desirable that said secondary cams be adjustable vertically with respect to the primary cams in order to provide perfect alignment between the two and in order to carry out this feature of the invention, said secondary cams are mounted in a manner hereinafter described upon a plate 67 which, in turn, is attached to a slide 68 adjustably arranged to move vertically in a bracket 69, the latter being secured to the frame 1 by means of screws 70, 70. The bracket 69 is substantially in the form of a channel within which the slide 68 moves and means, herein screws 71, extend through slots in said bracket into screw-threaded engagement with said slide and for the purpose of fixing said slide in its predetermined adjusted relation with said bracket. Means are provided to move said slide relatively to the bracket including a screw 72 having screwthreaded engagement with a laterally projecting portion 73 of said bracket arranged beneath said slide and in its adjusted position said screw 72 is secured by a check nut 74 (see particularly Figs. 3, 5, 8 and 9).

It is desirable at certain times to move the secondary knitting cams radially of the needle cylinder to withdraw them to positions where they will not act upon needle butts and one of the occasions when such a move: ment of the cam is desired is when the needies are to be levelled for transferring, while at certain other times such as, for example, when the needles may have become caught or will have to be replaced by hand, such a movement of said cams is also desirable. As a means for accomplishing this result the stitch cams 62 and 63 and a lower guide cam 64 are mounted upon a cam block 75 (see Figs. 4c, 5 and 9), said block being arranged to slide upon the plate 67 between angle brackets 76, said cam block being yieldingly maintained in its operative position by springs 77 interposed between said cam block and an abutment or bracket 78. It is desirable that the cam block 75 be capable of manual as well as automatic retraction. Hence it is left free to be retracted at will by the operator while the means for automatically retracting said cam block are preferably arranged to retract said block simultaneously with the retraction of the primary cam block.

For automatically retracting the cam block 75, a lever 79 is pivoted at 80 to the under side of a plate 67 (see Figs. 1, 3, 8 and 9), one end of which lever is adapted to engage the side nearest to the needle cylinder of a pin 81 depending from the under side of the cam block 75, (see Fig. 5) said pin being arranged to work within a slot formed in said plate 67.

The opposite end of the lever 79 is connected by means of alink 82 with an arm 83 attached to the link 46 hereinbefore referred to as constituting a part of the means for retracting said primary cam block.

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There are occasions during the operation of the machine when it is desired to retract the upper guide cam 65 from its operative position independently of the cams 62 and 63. Said upper guide cam 65 is moved out I for heel and toe work. Therefore said cam 65 is shown slidably mounted preferably in the cam block 75, said cain havin a slide 84 (see Figs. 4, 5 and 9) arrange to slide in a suitable groove in the top of said cam block, itbeing held within said groove here in by a plate 85 (see Figs. 4 and 5). This cam 65 is preferably so mounted that it may be withdrawn either manually or automatically and for withdrawing saidcam automatically means have been provided including an operating lever 86 (see particularly Figs. 4 and 9) said lever being pivoted at 87 to a stationary part of the cam support.

The lever 86 may receive its motion from any appropriate source but herein means are provided upon the pattern drum 10 which include a rib 88 arranged to engage a cam lever 89 to rock the same about its pivot 90. The lever 89 imparts its movement in one direction viz, when the same is raised by the cam 88 to said cam lever 86 to retract the cam and means operatively connect said lever 86 with the lever 89 including a connecting rod 91 which is pivotally connected at one end with said lever 89 and at its opposite end with an arm 92 secured to one end of a rock shaft 93, the latter being arranged to rock in appropriate hearings in the'machine. To the opposite end of said rock shaft an arm 94issecured which, in turn, is connected by means of a rod 95 with one end of the lever 86. The cam 65 is yieldingly maintained in its operative position by appropriate means such, for example, as a spring 96 connected at one end to the connecting rod 91 and at its opposite end to a fixed portion of the machine frame, this spring tending at all times to maintain the operative end of the cam lever 89 in contact with the periphery of the pattern cam or drum.

Obviously when an auxiliary or secondary set of cams is employed, means must also be provided to feed yarn to the needles that are actuated by said secondary cam. Hence a secondary yarn guide 97 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 5) has been provided upon the latch ring 20 in a position appropriate to said secondary knitting cam, herein substantially diametrically opposite to the primary knitting cams. The secondary yarn guide 97 is in the form of a lever pivoted at 98 to said latch ring, the free end of which is arranged to move in a suitable slot 99 formed therein.

The purpose of the secondary cams, as previously stated, is principally to function the needles during the knitting of split fabric and where the formation of such fabric is, as in the present type of machine, limited to a certain portion of the knitted article as, for example, the foot, the secondary yarn guide 97 must be moved into and out of its operative position when said secondary cams are moved into and out of their operative position. Preferably, therefore, said yarn guide is arranged to operate automatically with the cam 65 which controls the operations of said secondary cams and, as a convenient method of effecting cooperation between said members, said yarn guide 97 15 provided with an extension 100 having a cam surface 101 along its under edge arranged to be engaged by a lever 102 (see Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 8). This lever is herein shown pivoted at 103 to the bracket 78 and has a lateral projection 104 extending underneath the extension 100 of the yarn guide. The lower end of said lever 102 is connected through a link 105 with a lever 86. Hence any movement of said lever 86 to move the cam 65, will eflect a similar movement of the yarn guide 97; that is if the cam 65 is retracted from its operative position, the yarn guide 97 will be raised to its inoperative position and vice versa.

To insure the proper engagement of the long butts of the needle with the cam 65, the guard cam 66 is mounted directly above said cam 65 with cam surfaces 66 at opposite ends thereof to cause a deflection of the needle butts provided they are too high to strike said cam 65 and this cam 66 is mon to the Banner type of knitting machine are mounted herein upon the bracket 78 with their operative ends capable of cooperation with the cams 62 and 63 (see particularly Figs. 4, 9 and 10 to 13 inclusive). These pickers are pivotally mounted upon said bracket 78 and means preferably of the usual type are provided for holding said pickers in their inoperative positions when narrowing and widening operations are not to be performed. In the present example these means include a stop plate (see Figs. 4, 5 and 9) that is arranged to engage the arms of said pickers 108 and 109 and to depress said arms. To control said stop plate, means are shown including a bracket 111 to which said plate is attached, said bracket being mounted at the upper end of a rod 112 vertically movable in the'bracket 67. The lower end of said rod 112 is operatively connected with a lever 113 (see Figs. 1 and 8) pivoted at 114 to the under side of the frame 1 and having connection through a link 115 and a cam lever 116 with the cam surfaces 117 formed upon the cam 19 (see particularly Fig. 1).

To facilitate feeding and withdrawing the secondary yarn to and from the work a yarn holder and cutters have been provided for said secondary yarn in addition to those previously described for use in connection with the primary yarn guides, said holder and cutters consisting of a movable member 118 (see Figs. 5, 6 and 7) suitably mounted upon the supporting arm 52 and adjustably connected with the free end of the cutter operating lever 55.

The member 118 has a notch 119 in its outer edge near the lower end thereof in proximity to the base member 120 of the supporting arm '52 within which to receive the yarn leading from the secondary yarn guide 97 after said guide has been raised and the needle cylinder rotated a portion of a rotation. The movable member 118 is arranged to move between two plates 121 and 122, said plates being yieldingly pressed against said movable member by a suitable spring herein the spring 123 (see Fig. 5).

The lower end of the plate 121 is slightly bevelled to form a cutting edge 124 which is arranged tocooperate with a similar cutting edge 125 formed upon the lower side of the notch 119. Hence when said movable member 118 is moved upwardly and the cutting edg 124 passes the cutting edge 125, any yarn which has, by reason of the movement of the needle cylinder, passed into said notch, will be severed by said cutting edge.

The lower end 126 of the plate 122 is arranged substantially on a level with the cutting edge 124 so that, when the movable member passes upwardly between said plates, said end 126 will extend below the notched portion of the movable member and this plate being yieldingly held a ainst said outter, the yarn will be clinched or bound between said plate and the movable member without severing, and sufliciently to hold the end of the yarn so that when the yarn guide is again moved into operative position, the end of the yarn held by said members will not pass into the fabric but will be held until the needles have received sufficient yarn to form the initial loops.

Arranged at the back of the needle cylinder between the primary and secondary cams is a switch cam 127 of usual construction and arranged to engage only the long knitting butts and then only when the needle cylinder is travelling in a reverse direction whereupon the said butts will be moved up wardly to the idle level and for the purposes hereinafter set forth. When the butts of the needles are passing in the opposite direction, that is forwardly and along the usual channel for circular knitting, the long butt needles will engage said switch cam and throw the same up without changing the tures of the invention are, however, as follows:

Referring particularly to 10 and assuming that circular knitting is to be produced, the needle cylinder moves in the direction of the arrow in said figure, causing all of the needles to travel along the path indicated by the dotted lines at A, both long and short butts passing over the stitch cam 41 of the primary knitting cams, under the guide cam 43 and stitch cam 40 to form the usual knitting wave.

After leaving the cam 41 the needles are raised by an incline 131 on the annular ledge 4 to the normal level A along which all of the needles pass until the strike the first stitch cam 62 of the secon ary set, this cam being arranged to depress all of the needles below\the yarn receiving position so that neither the long or the short butt needles will take yarn at this time, said needles be ing again raised to their normal level by the incline 132. As the long butt needles pass the switch cam 127, said cam will be raised to the dotted position shown in Fig. 10, and the short butt needles being too short to engage said cam will not interfere at all with the same.

While the last circular course prior to the formation of the high splice or heel pocket is being knitted, the mechanism hereinbe fore described is set into operation to change from rotary to reciprocatory knitting and simultaneously to raise the instep cam 27 to its upper posit-ion (see Fig. 11) but the needle cylinder is not reversed until all of the long butt needles B have passed said instep cam and been elevated thereby, Fig. 11 showing the arrangement of the long butt needles B and the short butt needles C immediately prior to the first reverse movement of the needle cylinder, the direction of which is indicated by the arrow in said Fig. 11.

The next step in the operation of forming the stocking will, for the sake of convenience, be assumed to be the formation of the narrowing and widening for the heel pocket and at this time the long butt needles, indicated at B in their upper position are not brought into operation. Therefore it is desirable that the cam 65 be Withdrawn so that said long butt needles may pass along the idle level as shown at B without interruption, the means for operating said cam 65 being hereinbefore described.

Continued reciprocating movements of the needle cylinder result in the gradual raising of the leading short butt needles by means of the narrowing pickers 50 until the desired number of courses have been knitted, whereupon the widening pickers which, up to this time have been held out of action by the means described, are released and return those needles previously raised by the narrowing pickers in reverse order to their operative positions, thus effecting the gradual increase in the length of courses forming the heel pocket. Upon the completion of the heel pocket, the split foot fabric is then produced.

Assuming the parts to be in positions shown in Fig. 11 with the machine having completed its last reciprocating movement to complete the heel pocket and with the needle cylinder just about to start on its reverse movement as shown by the arrow in said Fig. 11, the cam 65 being at this time returned to its operative position, the first short butt needle D passes along to the first narrowing picker 50 and is raised to the idle or upper level of the long butt needles B and is thereby prevented from receiving yarn from the primary yarn guide. The needle cylinder, during reciprocating movements, makes approximately a rotation; hence said elevated short butt needle D, to ether with all of the long butt needles B, Wlll pass into engagement with the cam 65 and will be caused to pass below said cam and below the stitch cam 62, thus receiving yarn from the secondary yarn guide and casting the same to form loops.

Referring now to Fig. 12 and assuming all of the cams herein to be in the positions similar to those of the cams in Fig. 11, with the needle cylinder having already started on its next forward movement (that is in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 12 the needle E, which is the short butt nee le at the opposite end of the short butt series from the needle D, being now the first needle in the short butt series, engages the narrowing picker resting normally against the top of the stitch cam 41 and is elevated by said picker to the upper level which thereby constitutes the last needle of the long butt series B. The needles of this series B which travel along the upper level, elwage the cam 65 and are depressed thereby and beneath the secondary stitch cam 63 causing all of the needles thereof to take yarn and from stitches, including the short butt needle E. After passing the cam 63, the long butt needles pass along the incline 132 and over the instep cam 27 back to the upper level but, by reason of the fact that the cam 27 is away from the face of the needle cylinder, the needle E which has a short butt, passes up the incline 132 and then along the top of the annular portion 4 which is the normal level for the short butt needles, thus joining the needles of said short butt series. This needle, however, does not move far enough to again engage the picker on this particular movement of the needle cylinder and as the needle cylinder reverses before such can take place, consequently said needle E will, upon the return movement, pass through the primary knitting cams and take its yarn in the usual manner interknitting the loop formed of the regular yarn with that previously formed from the secondary yarn, thus uniting the fabric formed upon the long butt needles which is formed from said secondary yarn, with the fabric formed upon the primary needles to which the primary yarn is advanced in the usual manner.

Upon the next reverse movement of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 13, the needle D will again be raised by the narrowing picker 50 of the primary set to the upper position and will pass over the primary knitting cams and through the secondary set of cams, thus taking yarn from said secondary yarn guide and casting its loop. The long butt needles B, after passing through the secondary set of cams in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 13, will be raised to their upper idle level by means of the switch cam 127 but the needle D, not having a long butt, and in view of the fact that said cam 12? is placed at a distance from the needle cylinder 2, and can be engaged only by the long butts, will pass along the normal level of the needles of the course C and thence through the primary knitting cams and receive a second yarn which is interknit with the yarn received from the secondary cams, thus repeating the operations previously described.

\Vhen the split fabric has been completed the next step is preferably to form a toe pocket which is effected by withdrawing the cam 65 and permitting the instep needles of the series B merely to idle along the upper level and the needles of the short butt series C to pass through the primary cams and be picked up in their usual order for narrowing and finally picked down by the widening pickers until the narrowing and widening courses have been completed.

Following these operations the usual operations of the Banner machine may be carried out and as the various threads are inserted and withdrawn. they will be gripped and cut by the cutters provided therefor and hereinbefore specifically described.

In Fig. 14 I have illustrated in abbreviated form and greatly enlarged 'a section of the split fabric produced during the aforesaid operations, the parts shown being that portion of the fabric which constitutes the sole and instep portions of the foot and it desired the high splice and front ankle portion.

In said Fig. 14' the sole and instep portions are marked 131 and 133 respectively, only two needle wales 132, 132 of the section 131 and four needle wales 134, 134 of section 133 being shown, these sections being united herein by single needle wales 135 and 136 at opposite edges of the section 131. By reason of the peculiar operation of the needles during the knitting operation, the terminal needles of the primary series from which the section 131 is formed produces double strand loops 138 one strand of which forms a complete loop 139 while the other strand forms a partial loop 140, both of said strands crossing strands of a single loop 137 which is interknittedwith the double loop 138 and forms the terminal loop of the fabric section 133. Although said loop 137 is knitted upon the same needle that forms the double loop 138, the loops 137 and 138 of the wale 136 are knitted upon the end or suture needle D forming the suture seam at one of the short butt series C.

The loops 139 and 140 are tied to their respective fabric sections by lateral strands at the closed and the throat portions of the loop 139 respectively by the yarn 141 of the loop 149 and the strand 146 which tend to maintain their respective loops in proper means of a lateral strand 142 with a preced.

ing loop in the same course and b an oblique strand 144 with the first loop 145 of a subsequent course and it will be understood that the construction of the loops of the suture wale 136 will be substantially identical with the loops of the suture Wale 135 except that the double loops of the section 131 in said W110 136 will constitute the terminal loop of a course having at its opposite end a single loop 137 of the wale 135.

In Fig. 151 have shown the foot of a stocking adapted to be constructed upon the machine hereinbefore described, said figure showing the relative locations of a heel pocket 147 sole 148, toe 149, and in certain cases a high splice 150, all formed of primary yarn in accordance wlth the sectlon .131 of Fig. 14 while the instep) 151 and the front ankle portion 152 may e considered as embodying the construction of the fabric The section 133; The two sections 131 and 133 are shown united by the. suture seam 135 extending from the top of the highsplice to the toe pocket.

While I have herein shown and described certain embodiments of myflinvention and have disclosed and discussed in detail the knitting machine the I said series, the said needles all beingof substantially the same length, of primary and secondar sets of knitting cams arranged at substantially the same level about said single needle cylinder, the inner faces of the cams of both sets being normally dis osed in a circular plane substantially coinciding with the outer face of said needle cylinder.

2. In a circular knitting machine the combination with a needle cylinder provided with long and short butt needles and inof said needle cylinder, the stitchcams of said secondary set being arranged to prevent all of said needles from taking yarn during continuous circular'knitting.

3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder provided with long. and short butt needles and m eluding terminal suture needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, of rimar and secondary sets of cams inclu ing stltch cams mounted substantially at the same level, the inner faces of the'cains of both sets being normally disposed in a circular plane substantially coinciding with the outer face of said needle cylinder, said secondary set of cams including a central of primary knitting cams to function both long and short but-t needles during rotary knitting, secondary knitting cams adapted to act upon both long and short butt needles during rotary knitting to prevent said needles taking yarn, means to separate the long butt needles from the short butt needles, a central guide cam to guide one set of needles into engagement with the secondary cams, and means to retract only said central guide cam for and during heel and toe knitting.

5. In a circular hosiery knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder carrying long and short butt groups of needles and including terminal suture needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, of primary knitting cams to function both lon and short butt needles during rotary knitting and the short butt needles onl during reciprocating knitting, secondary knitting cams to function said long butt needles durin reciprocating knittin simultaneously wit the functioning of sai short butt needles by said primary earns, the stitch cams of said secondary knitting cams having portions for preventing all of the needles from taking secondary yarn during rotary knitting'and for preventing the short butt group of needles from taking secondary yarn during reciprocating knitting.

6. In a hosiery knitting machine the combination with a needle cylinder having long andshort butt needles and including terminal suture needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, of primar knitting cams to function all of said nee les during rotary knitting, means to withdraw said lon butt needles, secondary knitting cams incl uding an independently retractible central guide cam and a pair of stitch cams, means to retract said central guide cam for the formation of the heel and toe, said central guide cam being adapted to guide said long butt needles into engagement with said secondary stitch cams to effect the formation of loops upon said long butt needles simultaneously with the formation of loops upon said short butt needles by said primary knitting cams, and means operable when said long butt needles are withdrawn to move the leading needles of the short butt series into positions to be functioned by said secondary knitting cams to unite the strips formed respectively upon said long and short butt needles.

7. In a circular hosiery knittin machine, the combination with a needle cy inder provided with long and short butt needles and including terminal suture needles of the same len 11 buttsas those of one of said series, 0 primary and secondary sets of knitting cams, mounted substantially at the same level and with their inner faces nornially disposed in a circular plane substantially coinciding with the outer face of said needle cylinder, said primary knitting cams being arranged to function both long and short butt needles during rotary knitting, said secondary knitting cams including stitch cams provided with bevelled outer faces toprevent needles passing thereby from taking the secondary yarn, and means to restore said needles to their normal levels after passing said secondary stitch cams.

8. In a circular hosiery knittin machine, the combination with a needle cylinder provided with long and short butt needles and including terminal suture needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, of a primary set of knitting cams to function both long and short butt needles during rotary knittin and short butt needles only during reciprocating knitting, a secondary set of knitting cams to function the long butt needles simultaneously with the functioning of said short butt needles by, said primary knitting cams durin reciprocating knitting to form split fa ric, said secondary knitting cams including an independently retracting central guide cam, means to retract said central guide cam to permit said long butt needles to remain idle during the formation of heel and toe.

pockets, means for independently retracting the knitting cams of said secondary set, and means simultaneously to retract said central guide cam and said secondary stitch cams preparatory to the transferring operations.

9. A split work knitting machine comprising, in combination, a series of long butt needles and a series of short butt needles, suture needles having the same length butts as thoze of one of said series, all of said needles being of substantially the same length and carried by a single needle cylinder, primary knitting cams to function one of'said series of needles to form a web, a secondary knitting cams to function the other of said series of needles to form a web, and means to effect knitting upon the terminal needles of the short butt series only alternately by said primary and said secondary knitting cams to unite said webs.

10. A knitting machine comprising a series of long butt needles. .a series of short butt needles, a set of knitting cams to function one of said series of needles. :1 second set of knitting cams to function the other series of needles, and means to effect the formation of two loops upon the terminal needles of said short butt series automatically to each single loop upon the terminal needles of said long butt needles to unite the fabrics formed respectively upon said long butt needles and said short butt needles.

11. A knitting machine comprising a series of long butt needles, a series of short butt needles and including terminal suture Inn Ill

needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, primary and secondary sets of knitting cams to function respectively said long and short butt needle; during reciprocating knitting, and means including narrowing pickers to effect cooperation between the terminal needles of the short butt series only, alternately with said primary and said secondary sets of knitting cams.

12. In a knitting machine, the combination with a series of long butt and a series of short butt needles together constituting a complete circle of needles and including terminal suture needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, of means to withdraw predetermined of said needles, and means to function said withdrawn needles including a set of knitting cams arranged with their inner faces substantially in contact with the stems of said needles, substantially throughout the knitting operations.

13. In a knitting machine, the combination with a series of long butt and a series of short butt needles together constituting a complete circle of needles, and including terminal suture needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, of means to elevate said long butt needles and the terminal needles of the short butt series, and a set of knitting cams. for functioning said elevated needles only.

14. Ina knitting machine, the combination of a needle carrier having a series of long butt and a series of short butt needles together constituting a complete circle of needles and including terminal suture needles of the same length butts as those of one of said series, primary and secondary knitting cam sets, said needle carrier and said cam sets being arranged for relative rotary and reciprocating movements, the inner faces of the cams of both of said sets being normally substantially in the same circular plane, means to withdraw redetermined of said needles for reciprocating knitting, means to effect cooperation between the withdrawn needles and said secondar maining needles and sai primary cams to knit separate webs, and means to effect cooperation between the terminal needles of one'o't said sets alternately with said primary and'secondary cams to form suture seams uniting the edges of said webs.

15. In a knitting machine a series of long butt needles and a series of short butt needles respectively arranged in wholly consecutive sets together constituting, with needles having the same length butt as those of the short butt series, a com lete circle of needles, knitting cams to function all of said needles in rotary knitting and one lengthof butts only in reciprocating knitting, and a secondary set of knitting cams adapted to form loops upon the other length of butts cams and the resuture during reciprocating knitting, the stitch cams of said secondary knitting set being capable of depressing the remaining needles of the seriesbelow the secondary yarn receiving hosiery, a secondary set of knitting cams ineluding a retractible central guide camfand means independently to withdraw said central guide cam independently of the stitch cams of said set, for the formation of the heel and toe.

18. In a knitting machine, a secondary set of knitting cams, including a guide cam centrally positioned with respect to said set of cams, means to withdraw all of said cams from engagement with the needles, and means to retract said central guide cam independently of the remainder of said secondary set of knitting cams.

19. In a machine for knitting split fabric, a secondary set of knitting cams, including a guide cam centrally positioned with respect to said set of cams, arranged to remain normally in operative posit-ions, means to withdraw all of said cams from operative positions preparatory to transferring, and means Ill) 21. In a knitting machine a secondary set of knitting cams including a central guide cam, a guard cam for said central guide cam, and means independently to retract said cen tral guide cam with respect to said guard cam and the stitch cams of said set.

22. In a machine for knitting split foot siery, a secondary set of knitting cams including two stitch cams, and a central guide cam, a carrier block for said stitch cams and upon which said central guide cam is arranged to slide, means for raising and lowering said carrier block including a plate, a guard cam carried by said plate, widening pickers carried by said plate, means normally toretain said pickers in inoperative positions, means independently to retract said central guide cams, and means automatically to effect cooperation between said widening pickers and sald g ar 0am to widen.

23. In a knitting machine an uninterrupted series of long butt needles, an umnterrupted series of short butt needles together constituting an entire circle of needles, a main set of cams, and a secondary set of knitting cams including a guide cam central with respect to the cams of said secondary set and arranged normally in operative position, means to retract said central guide cam independently of the remaining cams of said secondary set of knitting cams, and sccondar yarn feeding means operable in conjunction with said central guide cam.

24. In a knitting machine, a secondary set of knitting cams including a central guide cam arranged normally in operative position, means to retract said central guide cam independently of the remaining cams of said secondary set of knitting earns, a secondary yarn feed, and means operatively connecting said secondary yarn feed w th said central guide cam to effect co-operative action therebetween.

25. A knitting machine com rising, in combination, a series of long an short butt needles, a primary knitting cam set, and a secondary knitting cam set, the latter having a guide cam central with respect thereto, the inner faces of the cams of both of said sets being adapted normally to lie in the same circular plane, means automatically to withdraw both of said sets for transferring, and means to retract the central guide cam of said secondary cam set independently of the remaining cams of said secondary knitting cam set preparatory to forming the heel and toe pockets of a stocking.

26. In a knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles having long and short knitting butts, of means to elevate said long butt needles, narrowing pickers to elevate the terminal needles of the short butt series during reciprocating knitting, and a set of knitting cams including a retractible guide cam central with respect to said set of knitting cams and adapted to function said elevated needles to form split fabric and to be withdrawn from operation during narrowing and widening independently of the remaining cams of said secondary set of knitting cams.

27. A circular knitting machine comprising a series of long butt needles, a series of short butt needles, a set of knitting cams to function one of said series of needles, a second set of knittin cams to function the other series of need es, and means including two yarn guides substantially diametrically opposed to each other, to effect the format1on of two loops in a course in a single wale upon each of the two terminal needles of said short butt series automatically to each single loop upon the two terminal needles of the long butt needles in the same wale, to unite the fabrics formed respectively upon said long butt needles and said short butt needles.

28. A circular knitting machine compr sing a rotary needle cylinder having a series of consecutive long butt needles, a series of consecutive short butt needles, said series together constituting the complete circle of needles, a set of knitting cams to function one of said series of needles, a second set of knitting cams to function the other series of needles, and means to effect the formation of two 100 s upon the terminal needles of said short iiutt series automatically to each single loop upon the terminal needles of said long butt needles to unite the fabrics formed respectively upon said long butt needles and said short butt needles. v

29. A circular split work knitting machine comprising in combination, a single needle cylinder havin a circle of needles all of substantially t e same length and made up of a series of consecutive long butt needles and a series of consecutive short butt needles including suture needles having the same len th butts as those of one of said series an at substantially the same posit1on on the needles, primary knitting cams to function one of said series of needles to form a web, secondary knitting cams to function the other of said series of needles to form a web, and means includin two yarn guides substantially diametrically opposed to each other to effect knitting upon the terminal needles of the short butt series only alternately by said primar and said secondary knitting cams to unlte said webs.

3 0. That method of knitting split fabric which consists in knitting rcciprocatingly upon two series of needles to form two fabric sections united into a tubular fabric b spaced suture seams composed wholly of double strand loops knitted from one yarn upon the terminal needles of one of said series and of single loops interknitted with said double strand'loops in the same wale.

3 1. That method of knitting split fabric which includes the simultaneous knitting upon two'series of needles, with different yarns, 1n reversing the movement of the needles and causing the now leading needle of one of said series ,to receive yarn from its respective feed without casting its loop and to take yarn from the yarn feed of the other series and casting the loops of its own yarn over said newly acquired yarn, thereby interkulttmg a double terminal loop with a sinill? gle terminal loop and thereby forming a suture seam wholly composed of double and single loops alternated in successive courses.

That method of knitting split fabric which includes the alternate knitting in opposite directions upon two series of needles and with different yarns, the terminal needles of one of said sets being actuated to take yarn from a common'yarn feed as tail needles and whenpassing said yarn feed as leading needles merely to wrap yarn therefrom about their shanks without knitting and subsequently in the same course to receive yarn from the yarn feed of the other series of needles to elfect the interknitting of a double strand terminal loop of one yarn with a single strand-terminal loop of the other yarn and thereby forming a suture seam wholly composed of double and single loops alternated in successive courses.

33. That method of knitting split fabric which consists in knitting reciprocatingly upon at least two series of needles with different yarns to form two sections of fabric and during said knitting operations in causing each terminal needle of one series to operate first as the tail needle of its series receiving the yarn of its series. and casting its loop, then upon a reverse movement operating as the leading needle of its own series for the purpose of receiving yarn but without casting its loop, and subsequently in the same movement receiving yarn from the yarn feed of the other series and in drawing the same through the two loops suspended from said needle thereby forming alternate double and single loops from different yarn but in the same wale and thereby forming a suture seam wholly composed of double and single loops alternated in successive courses.

3%. A circular, hosiery, fashioning, split work, knitting machine having a circular se ries of needles composed of two sets having contrasting length butts for cooperating with the knitting cams and including terminal suture needles having butts of the same length as those of one of said sets, a main set of knitting cams, an auxiliary set of knitting cams, and yarn feeds cooperating with said sets of cams, and an instep cam movable into and out of action and controlling the instep needles at the fashioning operation, and also controlling one set of needles at the auxiliary set of cams.

35. A circular, hosiery, fashioning, split work, knitting machine having a circular series of needles composed of two sets having contrasting length butts for cooperating with the knitting cams and including terminal suture needles having butts of the same length as those of one of said sets, a main set of knitting cams, an auxiliary set of knitting cams, and yarn feeds cooperating with said sets of cams, an instep cam, and means to move the same into functioning position to move instep needles out of action for the fashioning operation and to move said instep cam into functioningposition at the commencement of split work to direct needles at the auxiliary set ot cams.

36. That method of knitting split fabric which consists in knitting rcciprocatingly with a primary yarn and a secondary yarn respectively upon two series of needles to form double strand suture needle loops from one of said yarns only upon the terminal needles only of one of said series and then in forming single strand suture loops only in the next course upon the terminal needles in the same wale and in interknitting said double strand loops with said single strand loops of said other yarn in the same wale.

37. That method of knitting split fabric which consists in knitting reciprocatingly with a primary yarn and a secondary yarn respectively upon two series of needles to form double strand suture needle loops from. one ofisaid yarns only upon the terminal needles only of one of said series and then in forming single strand suture loops only in the next course upon the terminal needles in the same wale and in interknitting said double strand loops with said single strand needle loops of said other yarn formed upon the same terminal needles.

38. Thatmethod of knitting split fabric which consists in knitting reciprocatingly with a primary yarn and a secondary yarn respectively upon two series of needles to form double strand suture needle loops upon the terminal needles only of one of said series and then in forming single strand suture loops only in the next course upon the terminal needles in the same wale and in inter-- knitting said double strand loops with said single strand needle loops of said secondary yarn in the same wale.

3.9. That method of knitting split fabric which includes the simultaneous knitting upon two series of needles, in reversing the movement of the needles and causing the now leading needle of one of said series to receive yarn from its respective feed Without casting its loop and to take yarn from the yarn feed of the other series and casting the loop of its ownyarn over said newly acquired yarn, thereby to form double'strand suture needle loops from one of said yarns only upon the terminal needles only of one of said series, and to form single strand suture loops only in the next course upon said terminal needles, inter-knitting a double ter-.

minal needle suture loop of one of said yarns with a single'terminal needle suture loop of the other of said yarns.

40. That method -of knitting split fabric which includes the alternate knitting in opposite directions upon two series of needles, the terminal needles of one of said sets being actuated to take oneof said yarns from 

